Kuwait city: The 25th Kuwait Theater Festival kicked off on Thursday and is set to continue until December 11. The festival honored Qatari artist Ghanem Al Sulaiti as the guest of honor of this edition for his contribution to the Gulf and Arab theater and drama by having a deep impact on the audience and playing a part in developing the theatrical scene.

According to Qatar News Agency, this edition also celebrates the Kuwaiti artist Mohammed Al Mansor as the personality of the festival in appreciation for his work that contributed to the Kuwaiti, Gulf and Arab art scene. The opening ceremony featured an artwork that detailed the most notable Kuwaiti poets and writers who documented the sea, land, and Bedouin life of the State of Kuwait.

The 25th Kuwait Theater Festival includes a number of theatrical performances, workshops, and discussion panels. It will also award six theatrical performances. Kuwait’s Minister of Information and Culture, Abdulrahman Al Mutairi, stated that the festival solidified its position in the community and proved its impactful role on the Arab art scene.

On his part, Assistant Secretary-General at the Kuwaiti National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL), Musaed Al Zamel, said that the festival, which is celebrating its golden jubilee, comes as part of efforts to honor the long history and role of the State of Kuwait in the emergence of the theater and creative movement. Al Zamel, who also serves as the manager of the 25th Kuwait Theater Festival, added that the first two editions of the event (1989 and 1990) included performances that embodied the journey of the movement, which was shouldered by its early pioneers.